True Intent

The men in the picture below are American and Danish Marines.  This photo belongs to Buzzy Sorensen of the Royal Danish Navy.  He has long served in Afghanistan, he attended the American Naval Academy, and has also served as an American Marine. He was wounded in the present conflict early on while serving as an American Marine.  He is a pilot, and he and his twin brother were born two weeks before my own twin sons.  I have followed his service on Facebook where I first made his acquaintance, and come to greatly respect him and his countrymen who serve along side of him.  Often he posts images from war that deeply move me.  This is the second poem I wrote from the inspiration and story of one of the images he posted.  These Warriors saw an Afghan civilian wounded by an IED, and after they called for a chopper to evacuate the wounded man, the area around him was still taking sniper fire, so in their protective gear they formed a human shield over the wounded man's body. Not only were they protecting him against being shot, but they were protecting his gaping wounds from the "dust off" of the arriving medical helicopter.  Some men are possessed of uncommon courage, and in that courage, the true intent of their service is revealed.

         
True Intent


The picture finds them crouched in the dirt of foreign soil,
Many a mile they have walked in the heat, and still on they have toiled.

An enemy dark and sinister, with evil intent they do hunt,
And then with deadly force they valiantly confront.

Fierce and foreboding in their equipment and gear,
Lethal to the threat of the enemy, they instill a chilling fear.

The civilians who watch have little reference to these Soldier’s intent,
Only having known the tyrant’s agenda to give them hint.

For wives and mothers, sisters and brothers, they have left home,
The mountains of this foreign country to roam,

In search of a threat which leaves the freedom of the whole world at stake.
Their duty and mission they will never forsake.

But now they provide protection for someone inside their human wall.
In the tracking of the enemy, they witness an innocent victim fall.  

The wicked explosive device of the cruel terrorist’s hand,
Brings out the true heart and purpose of this warrior band.

Not only do they stand for those they left behind,
Their lives they risk yet again for the good of all mankind.

This stranger, of another nation, lies wounded and exposed,
Testimony is given by their huddled bodies that they are true heroes.

God keeps account of how each individual’s life is spent.
And at the end will reveal each person’s heart and true intent.

He has foreshadowed His words concerning these, the valiant,
When He said, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”